This invention relates to a rotary transfer device for the pickup, transfer and delivery of articles. Particularly, this invention relates to a rotary transfer device having a plurality of rotary movements to enable the device to transfer articles from and to a plurality of predetermined locations and in a plurality of transfer paths.
It has become increasingly necessary and desirable in mechanized manufacturing, assembly and packaging operations to enable the pickup, transfer and delivery of articles of various shapes and dimensions in the most reliable, precise and high speed manner. And, although many types of such devices have been developed, the utilization of rotary transfer devices have been found to consistently enable manufacturers, and the like, to reach this desired result.
However, due to the many configurations of manufacturing equipment and due to the varying shapes and sizes of the articles produced and processed, it has become increasingly difficult for such manufacturers and assemblers to find suitable article transfer mechanisms which enable the precise and reliable pickup, transfer and deliver these articles, without damage, from one location to another for subsequent manufacturing operations.
Although various means have been taught to transfer articles from one location to another, and although one reliable and desirable means is the utilization of a rotary transfer mechanism, shortcomings and limitations with respect to the effective transfer and delivery of articles still exist. Particularly, these limitations and shortcomings include the inability of the transfer mechanism to pickup and deliver articles of distinct shapes and sizes, the pickup and delivery of articles to and from a range of locations, and the inability to pickup and deliver articles in a straight line, reliable manner so that the transferred articles are not damaged and precisely placed in a predetermined location.
These shortcomings and limitations can generally be traced to the inherent limitations in the design of the transfer mechanisms themselves. Particularly, these shortcomings and limitations are due to the limited degree of travel and adjustability of the transfer mechanism.
The rotary transfer device of this invention is designed to overcome the limitations of the prior known mechanisms by the addition of added and controllable motion to the article transfer mechanisms to a rotary transfer device. This added secondary or tertiary motion to a rotary transfer device enables the manufacturer or assembler to transfer articles to and from a plurality of positions in a variety of transfer paths to facilitate the size, shape and location of the articles to be transferred. Particularly, the straight line motion of the transfer mechanism at the pickup and delivery points enables this versatility and the added benefit of reliability because of the precise contact that results from this motion of the transfer mechanism to the pickup and delivery locations of the articles to be transferred.